Quenching device

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed herein an annular quench ring surrounding a coaxial, axially relatively moving pipe for spraying a coneshaped pattern of quenching fluid inwardly thereagainst. A sleeve, also coaxial with the pipe, is disposed adjacent to the exit end of the quench ring in the direction of the apex of the cone-shaped spray, the sleeve being spaced radially outwardly of the pipe whereby a substantial portion of the fluid richochets between the load and the inner surface of the sleeve throughout the length of the sleeve to increase the quenching effect.

United States Patent 45] July 11,1972

Amend [54] QUENCHING DEVICE [72] Inventor: Clifford L. Amend,Youngstown, Ohio [73] Assignee: Aiax Magnethermlc Corporation, Warren,

Ohio

[22] Filed: Jan. 4, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 103,578

[52] US. Cl. ..266/6 S, 148/143 [51] Int. Cl. ..C21d l/62 [58] Field ofSearch .72/201; 266/4 R, 4 S, 6 R, 266/6 S; 148/143, 144, 153

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,657,698 ll/l953 PrimaryExaminer-Gerald A. Dost Attorney-J. H. Slough ABSTRACT There isdisclosed herein an annular quench ring surrounding a coaxial, axiallyrelatively moving pipe for spraying a coneshaped pattern of quenchingfluid inwardly thereagainst. A sleeve, also coaxial with the pipe, isdisposed adjacent to the exit end of the quench ring in the direction ofthe apex of the cone-shaped spray, the sleeve being spaced radiallyoutwardly of the pipe whereby a substantial portion of the fluidrichochets between the load and the inner surface of the sleevethroughout the length of the sleeve to increase the quenching effect.

3 chins, 3 Drawing Figures QUENCHING DEVICE This invention relates tothe quench hardening of metal and particularly to an improved sprayquenching device for quenching a relatively moving, elongated workpiecesuch as steel pipe. The present invention is particularly adapted foruse with induction heating of the elongated workpieces.

The spray quenching of heated iron or steel pipe is conventionallyeffected by an annular spray quench ring which surrounds the pipe andprovides an inwardly directed spray of the quenching fluid while at thesame time the quenching ring and pipe are caused to move relative toeach other in the axial direction. Thus, the pipe is moved through thequenching ring or the ring is moved axially along the pipe whereby thepipe is progressively quenched.

The conventional quenching ring has the disadvantage that the quenchingfluid contacts the workpiece for only a brief interval and over arelatively short length of the workpiece before falling away. Toovercome this, the quenching ring must either be elongated in the axialdirection or provided with a plurality of turns with the resultantincreased flow of quenching fluid and added expense of manufacture.

The present invention as herein illustrated and described comprises acylindrical sleeve coaxial with and of greater diameter than the axiallymoving workpiece or pipe which passes therethrough. The sleeve ispositioned just beyond the exit end of a conventional quench ring, thequench ring spraying the quenching fluid at high velocity in a conicalpattern the apex of which would be axially outwardly beyond said exitend. The result is that a substantial amount of the high velocity spraystrikes the outer surface of the pipe and richochets or is deflectedinto the interior of the sleeve where it alternately impinges on theinterior of the sleeve and is again deflected from the workpiece toprovide a turbulent atmosphere of entrained quenching fluid throughoutthe length of the sleeve thereby greatly extending the area quenched andincreasing the amount of quenching time for any given part of the pipe.

In view of the foregoing, the general object of the present invention isto enhance the quenching power of a conventional quench ring.

Another object of this invention is to increase the amount of quenchingfluid which contacts the workpiece as it passes through the sprayquench.

Still another object of the invention is to redirect the quenching fluidback toward the workpiece after it has been initially sprayedthereagainst at high velocity and caused to richochet or reboundtherefrom.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a spray quench as setforth above which may be used for quenching either a moving or a staticworkpiece.

Still another object is to provide a quenching device which is simpleand economic to manufacture and highly durable in use.

Other objects of the invention will be readily apparent from thefollowing description thereof and the accompanying drawings, in whichsaid drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through a first embodiment of thequenching device of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a section through the quenching device taken along the line2-2 of FIG. 1, shown on a reduced scale; and

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of a second embodiment of the quenchingdevice of this invention.

Referring now to the drawings in all of which like parts are designatedby like reference numerals, the quenching device of this inventioncomprises a quench ring of hollow, annular form having a pressurizedquenching fluid delivered thereto by any suitable means such as a pipe11. As herein shown, the quench ring 10 is rectangular in cross sectionand has an inner peripheral wall 12 provided with an overall pattern ofclosely spaced passages or apertures 13. The apertures 13 are preferablydisposed at an angle in such manner as to af ford a cone-shaped spraypattern 14, the apex of the cone being directed toward the exit end ofthe quench ring or toward the right-hand side as shown in FIG. 1. Thequench ring 10 is fixedly mounted in any suitable manner whereby aworkpiece such as a pipe 15 disposed substantially coaxially with saidquench ring can be moved axially through the ring in the directionindicated by the arrows A. Suitable means are provided for supportingand propelling the pipe 15 in an axial direction, such means being shownherein in the form of support rolls 16 which may be power driven.

Adjacent to the exit end of the quench ring 10 and spaced a shortdistance therefrom is an elongated sleeve 20 of cylindrical crosssection fonned of a suitable rigid material such as steel. The sleeve 20is disposed coaxially with the quench ring 10 and the pipe 15 andsurround said pipe. Thus, the pipe, moving from left to right in FIG. 1,passes first through the quench ring 10 and then through the sleeve 20on the exit side of said quench ring.

It will be noted that the quench ring 10 has an inner diameter definedby the inner wall 12 which is substantially greater than the diameter ofthe pipe 15 whereby said wall 12 is spaced radially outwardly in auniform manner of substantial distance about the circumference of saidpipe. The sleeve 20 also has a greater inner diameter than the diameterof the pipe 15 and is circumferentially evenly spaced from said pipe.The relative diameters of the inner wall 12 and the inner surface of thesleeve 20, the distance between the quench ring 10 and the said sleeve,and the angle of the conical spray pattern 14 are such that asubstantial amountof the high velocity spray richochets or rebounds fromthe outer surface of the pipe 15 into the sleeve 20 and impinges uponthe inner peripheral surface 21 thereof. The droplets comprising thespray are than redirected back toward the outer surface of the pipe 15whereupon they are again deflected outwardly towards the inner surface21 of the said sleeve. Thus, the quenching fluid becomes entrained in anagitated atmosphere of rebounding fluid droplets indicated at 22 wherebythe quenching fluid is redirected toward the pipe over and over again.The sleeve 20 may be of any desired length depending upon the amount ofquench required, and the velocity of the liquid in the spray pattern 14is preferably such as to provide an agitated atmosphere of redirectedfluid 22 throughout the entire length of said sleeve.

In the second embodiment of FIG. 3, the quenching device of thisinvention comprises the same components described above which functionin exactly the manner described, the difference being that the quenchring and sleeve are unitarily mounted to move axially with respect to afixed workpiece. Referring now particularly to the drawings, the secondembodiment comprises a quench ring 10 of the same form shown in FIG. 1but which may be modified by providing a flexible hose 11' in place ofthe pipe 11 for supplying the pressurized quenching fluid. A sleeve 20'of the same form shown in FIG. 1 is disposed on the exit side of thequench ring 10' in such manner as to receive a conical spray patternindicated at 14'. The workpiece or pipe 15 projects coaxially throughthe quench ring 10' and sleeve 20 and is rigidly held and supported inany suitable manner.

The quench ring 10' and sleeve 20' are mounted in a fixed relativerelationship and are movable together axially with respect to the pipe15 in the direction of the arrows A in FIG. 3. As herein illustrated,the quench ring 10' is provided with a vertical support member 30 andthe sleeve 20' is provided with a pair of vertical support members 31,all of said support members projecting upwardly and being welded orotherwise suitably secured to an overhead carriage 32 having wheels 33engaging the lower flange 34 of a horizontally disposed, overhead I-beam35. The carriage 32 is propelled in a horizontal direction along theoverhead I-beam 35 by any suitable or conventional means, the presentembodiment showing by way of example a small electric motor 36 mountedadjacent to and driving at least one of the wheels 33.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention providesmeans enhancing and increasing the quenching power of a conventionalquench ring. Due to the fact that the quenching fluid is redirected overand over repeatedly against the workpiece, there is a greater volume ofquenching fluid contact against the load. Also, it will be readily seenthat the quench extends over a greater period of time since the load isquenched continuously from the quench ring to the exit end of the sleeve20 or 20'. It will also be seen that the present invention is readilyadaptable for improved quenching of 'either a moving or a static load.

It will be understood that many changes in the details of the inventionas herein described and illustrated may be made without, however,departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A quenching device for quenching an elongated, relatively movingworkpiece comprising an annular quench ring adapted to surround and bespaced radially from the workpiece and direct a high velocity spray ofquenching fluid against the workpiece in a conical pattern directedaxially outwardly of the exit end of said quench ring; a sleeve membercoaxially surrounding and spaced radially from the workpiece at aposition spaced axially beyond the exit end of said quench ring wherebya substantial portion of the quenching fluid is deflected from theworkpiece and, alternately, impinges on the inner surface of said sleeveand is again deflected from the workpiece throughout substantially thelength of said sleeve, to increase the quenching of the workpiece.

2. In a quenching device as set forth in claim 1: means for moving theelongated workpiece through said quench ring for continuous quenchingthereof.

3. In a quenching device as set forth in claim 1: support means mountingsaid quench ring and said sleeve together as a unit; and means formoving said support means in a path whereby said quench ring and saidsleeve travel coaxially along the workpiece for continuous quenchingthereof.

1. A quenching device for quenching an elongated, relatively movingworkpiece comprising an annular quench ring adapted to surround and bespaced radially from the workpiece and direct a high velocity spray ofquenching fluid against the workpiece in a conical pattern directedaxially outwardly of the exit end of said quench ring; a sleeve membercoaxially surrounding and spaced radially from the workpiece at aposition spaced axially beyond the exit end of said quench ring wherebya substantial portion of the quenching fluid is deflected from theworkpiece and, alternately, impinges on the inner surface of said sleeveand is again deflected from the workpiece throughout substantially thelength of said sleeve, to increase the quenching of the workpiece.
 2. Ina quenching device as set forth in claim 1: means for moving theelongated workpiece through said quench ring for continuous quenchingthereof.
 3. In a quenching device as set forth in claim 1: support meansmounting said quench ring and said sleeve together as a unit; and meansfor moving said support means in a path whereby said quench ring andsaid sleeve travel coaxially along the workpiece for continuousquenching thereof.